Addition and subtraction word problems — Maths Olympiad practice
Olympiad word problems often need two steps, and the wrong options are the answers you get by adding when you should take away. Read the story twice, decide what happens to the numbers, then calculate.
✓ You passed this topic’s test.
How to solve it
Read twice, then choose — “the words tell you whether to add or take away”
“More”, “in all”, “altogether” → add.
“Left”, “get off”, “how many more”, “difference” → take away.
Two things happen? Do them one at a time, in order.
Asked for “at first”? Undo what happened: put back what was given away.
Use it for: Story sums in Class 2–4 Olympiad papers, and every school test.
Worked example: A school has 245 boys and 218 girls. 136 children go on a trip. How many children stay at school? → 327
All the children: 245 + 218 = 463.
136 go on the trip, so take them away: 463 − 136 = 327.
Check: 327 + 136 = 463 and 463 − 218 = 245 ✓
✏️ Practice
Work it out in your head or on paper, type the answer and press Check. Stuck? Press “Show me how”.
Right: 0 · Tried: 0
🏁 Topic 3 test
20 questions. Check each answer, then go to the next one. Get 16 or more right to pass.
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📚 Story Sum Star badge when you pass — and a certificate when you finish all 7 topics of
Part 1 · Class 2–4. You can still take the test without signing in.
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